AK-47
Assault rifle · 30 rounds
- Climb
- Side drift
- Fire rate
Mid range3–6 shots
Rust · Recoil guide 2026
Rust Recoil Patterns 2026
How every automatic gun in Rust kicks since the combat update, and how to keep your spray on target. Pick a gun and fire a burst.
- ClimbSame every burst
- DriftNew every burst
- Aim coneBigger when you move
0/0 on the target
Burst
Assault rifle · 30 roundsThe hardest kick in Rust. A big climb on the first shots and a wide side drift.
Assault rifle · 30 roundsCalmer than the AK. Less climb, less drift, easier to hold.
SMG · 30 roundsVery fast. Small mistakes grow quickly in a long spray.
SMG · 20 roundsMostly straight up. One of the easiest sprays.
SMG · 24 roundsLight and fast. The easiest spray, best up close.
LMG · 100 roundsA long belt and a heavy climb. Keep the strings short at range.
Semi-auto rifle · 16 roundsOne click, one shot. Let the sight settle between taps.
Semi-auto rifle · 20 roundsPrecise single shots, strong at long range.
Simplified: the climb repeats, the side drift is new every burst, like in the game. Faint holes are your earlier bursts.
How Rust recoil works
Since the combat update in June 2022, Rust has no fixed spray patterns. Every gun still climbs, but the side drift changes from spray to spray.
- ClimbYour view kicks up with every shot. This part repeats, so you can learn it.
- DriftLeft and right, different every time. You follow it with your eyes.
- Aim coneEach bullet lands in a small circle around your crosshair. Moving and hip fire make it bigger.
Rust spray patterns by gun
How each automatic gun kicks, and how many shots to fire at mid range.
LR-300
Assault rifle · 30 rounds
- Climb
- Side drift
- Fire rate
Mid range5–8 shots
MP5A4
SMG · 30 rounds
- Climb
- Side drift
- Fire rate
Mid range4–7 shots
Thompson
SMG · 20 rounds
- Climb
- Side drift
- Fire rate
Mid range4–6 shots
Custom SMG
SMG · 24 rounds
- Climb
- Side drift
- Fire rate
Mid range3–5 shots
M249
LMG · 100 rounds
- Climb
- Side drift
- Fire rate
Mid range8–12 shots
Semi-Automatic Rifle
Semi-auto rifle · 16 rounds
- Climb
- Side drift
- Fire rate
Mid rangeSteady taps
M39
Semi-auto rifle · 20 rounds
- Climb
- Side drift
- Fire rate
Long rangeSingle taps
Hardest guns to control in Rust
Automatic guns, hardest spray first.
- AK-47Hardest
- M249Hard
- LR-300Medium
- MP5A4Medium
- ThompsonEasy
- Custom SMGEasiest
Rust attachments that change recoil
Put parts on the AK and see what each one changes.
Workbench
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Muzzle
Sight
Under barrel
- Kick size
- Spread
- Fire rate
No attachments: the AK at its plain kick.
Muzzle Brake About half the kick. In return, less damage and a wider spread from the hip.
Muzzle Boost Shoots faster. It does not help with the kick.
Silencer Quieter shots and no muzzle flash. A small change to the kick.
Holosight A tighter spread when you aim. The kick stays the same.
Simple Handmade Sight A clearer sight picture. Almost no change to recoil.
8x Zoom Scope The zoom makes every kick look bigger. Use single shots with it.
Weapon Lasersight Much tighter hip fire and less sway. The kick stays.
Simplified. Facepunch changes the exact numbers in updates.
Crouch, stand or move
The same burst from three stances.
- CrouchedThe smallest kick. The best stance for a long spray.
- StandingA normal kick. Fine for short bursts.
- Moving or jumpingA much bigger aim cone. Stop before you spray.
How long to spray at each range
The farther the target, the shorter the burst.
- AK-47Full spray, pull down hard3–6 shotsSingle taps
- LR-300Full spray5–8 shotsTaps or 2–3 shots
- MP5A4Full spray4–7 shotsToo far, switch guns
- ThompsonFull spray4–6 shotsSingle taps
- Custom SMGFull spray3–5 shotsToo far, switch guns
- M249Long spray, crouched8–12 shotsShort bursts
How to practise Rust recoil
Ten minutes before you play is enough.
- Join a recoil trainer serverAim-train servers in the server list have free guns, targets and spray walls.
- Learn the first five shotsMost of the climb comes at the start. Pull down hard, then ease off.
- Burst, settle, burstPast close range, short bursts beat one long spray.
- Test again after updatesFacepunch tunes guns in updates. Check your bursts after a big patch.
Rust recoil FAQ
Does Rust still have recoil patterns?
Not fixed ones. Since the combat update in June 2022, every automatic gun still climbs, but the side drift is random, so no two sprays land the same. You learn how hard each gun climbs and correct the drift by eye.
What is the AK spray pattern in Rust?
The AK-47 kicks up hard on the first shots and drifts left and right at random. Pull down hard at the start, then follow the drift. At mid range, shoot bursts of three to six.
Which gun has the least recoil in Rust?
Of the automatic guns, the Custom SMG and the Thompson are the easiest to hold. The LR-300 is the calmest assault rifle.
Which gun has the most recoil in Rust?
The AK-47. The M249 is also hard in long sprays because of its long belt.
Does the Muzzle Brake reduce recoil in Rust?
Yes, it cuts the kick to about half. In return the gun does less damage and hip fire spreads more.
Does crouching reduce recoil in Rust?
Yes. Crouching makes the kick smaller and follow-up shots easier. Moving and jumping make your shots spread much more.
LR-300 or AK: which is easier to control?
The LR-300. It climbs less and drifts less. The AK hits harder, so many players still choose it.
Is there a Rust recoil trainer?
Yes: aim-train servers. Search "aim train" in the server list, take any gun for free and practise the first five shots on a wall.
Is recoil different on Rust Console Edition?
Yes. Rust Console Edition on PS5 and Xbox has its own gun balance and aim assist for controllers, so the kick feels softer than on PC. Short bursts and crouching still help.
Why do my shots miss at long range?
The random drift and the aim cone. At long range the small circle around your crosshair gets bigger than the target, so single taps and short bursts work better than a spray.
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